USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Old Copp's Hill and Burial Ground : with historical sketches, 1879 > Part 3
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Burials have ceased, but interments in the vaults are of frequent occurrence ; about twenty have taken place within the present year ; among them was that of John Somes, a veteran North End lamp- lighter, whose body was placed near the Charter street side, in a tomb bearing the names of Ephraim and Larkin Snow. The interior of these places of sepulture are by no means cheerful, but they are not nearly so repulsive as might be expected. Raised as they are above the surrounding territory, they are as dry as the cellar of a well-drained house. A body deposited in one of them soon loses all offensive odor, and until the inevitable crumbling of the coffin occurs, there is nothing to offend either sight or smell.
The date of five tombstones were altered by George Daracot when a boy, so as to make 1690 read 1620, 169@ read 1628. Similar acts of vandalism were performed in other burying grounds in Boston and vicinity. The tombstones removed from where the paths were made, were placed in other parts of the ground near by, - thus utterly failing to accomplish their true end. Before this grand act of vandalism was perpetrated, petty deeds of the same character were very frequent. Stones were taken away to be used in the con- struction of chimneys, to build drains, to cover the mouths of tombs, and to place in the bottom of vaults for coffins to rest upon ; a great many stones, however, have been recovered, and have been placed in the ground among their fellows. But the work of desecration has extended to the tombs; several of which have at some time been controlled by enterprising undertakers, who have removed the re- mains once deposited to await a resurrection of a totally different character, and used the space thus obtained for the prosecution of a
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traffic, that of letting out temporary burial space, that at one time was far more lucrative than it is now. Among those thus rifled, is that of the Hutchinson family, situated near the southeast corner of the older portion of the cemetery. A square slab of sandstone cov- ers its mouth, and upon it is still to be seen the beautiful coat of arms with which the members of this high-bred race emblazoned their belongings. But the name of Hutchinson has been cut out, and that of Thomas Lewis put in its place, so that to the casual observer, or to one who knows nothing of Heraldry, this memorial conveys an idea that is entirely false. In the vault beneath this tablet once rested all that was mortal of Thomas Hutchinson, father of the Governor, and of Elisha Hutchinson, grandfather of His Excellency, the latter having fallen in an attack made by the Indians at Qua- boag in Brookfield, descendants of the famous Ann and her husband, Governor William. Now no one can tell where these sacred relics are, as they were removed long ago. To Thomas Hutchinson the North End is indebted for its first school-house ; he first proposed it at the Town Meeting, and afterwards paid for it out of his own funds. How grateful we have been for his generosity is shown from the fact, that the house now erected on the same lot is called the Elliot School-house, in honor of a former pastor of the New North Church.
Another vault, that has been misused in the same manner, bears a coat of arms that is remarkably well carved, and beneath this is an inscription apparently as legible as it was when it came fresh from the chisel. This memorial stone, like nine-tenths of all the others, is of slate, and, like them, it shows but little of the wear of the ele- ments, or of the lapse of time. It stands a short distance away from the main entrance towards the west, and is about three feet by two in size, with a thickness of less than two inches. Its armorial bearings are a coat of chain-mail, upon which is a breast-plate, sur- mounted by a helmet with its visor down. Upon the top of this is a swan crowned, and having a chain around its neck, and thence over its back. Ornamental scrolls surround this device, and on either side are clusters of domestic fruits, including apples, pears, peaches, corn, wheat, grapes, plums and cherries, all of which are to be rec- ognized at a glance. Within a space of less than two square feet is the following inscription :
"Here lies the mortal part of WILLIAM CLARK, ESQR., an emi-
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nent merchant of this town, and an honorable councillor for the province, who distinguished himself as a faithful and affectionate friend ; a fair and generous trader ; loyal to his prince, yet, always zealous for the freedom of his country, a despiser of sorry persons and little actions, an enemy to priestcraft and enthusiasm ; ready to relieve and help the wretched, a lover of good men of various de- nominations, and a reverent worshipper of the Deity."
Deterred by neither the beauty of the sculpture nor the eloquence of the epitaph, Samuel Winslow, who was at one time sexton of Rev. Dr. Neal's church, obtained possession of the vault, caused his name, with sublime coolness, to be inscribed above that of him for whom it had been prepared, ousted its original occupants, used the tomb for the temporary resting-place of those for whom he was performing a portion of the funeral rites, and now it is supposed that he reposes there, awaiting his turn to again come to the light, brought thither by mortal or immortal hands. William Clark met with reverses in the French wars, losing forty sail of vessels, which so impaired his fortune and depressed his spirits that he died soon after. He was one of the original attendants of Christ Church, his dwelling on the corner of Garden court and Prince street was built of brick, and said be the finest of the day. Next is the tomb of his brother, Dr. John Clark, whose family gave seven generations of physicians in a direct line bearing the same name.
Near the centre of the hill, is the tombstone of William Mumford, who died Nov. 21, 1718, aged 77 years. He was one of the most prominent members of the Quaker society. He was a stone-cutter and builder by trade. On July 10, 1694, he purchased a lot of land in Brattle Square, and built a brick meeting-house. This is said to have been the first brick church erected in Boston, and also the first Quaker Meeting-house in Boston. It was conveyed to trustees, with a part of the land, for the Quaker society of which he was a promi- nent member. He afterwards bought another lot in Congress street, on the 5th of January, 1707-8, on which he built another meeting- house, to which the society removed when they sold the one in Brat- tle Square. They used part of this same lot of land for a Burial Ground. Near by is the stone of John Soames, (a cooper,) who was one of the Trustees to whom Mumford conveyed the first meet- ing-house, and he was also a prominent member of the Quaker
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society. He died November 16th, 1700, in the fifty-second year of his age, and nine years before the society sold the first meeting- house. To the left of this stone, at a short distance, is a stone in memory of Captain John Pullin, for whom the headland at the northwest of Chelsea, fronting westerly on the harbor, was called.
The first stone on the right as you go up the Hull street steps is a stone bearing a coat-of-arms, and is in memory of Edward Martyn, who, with Timothy Thornton and Thomas Hutchinson, was the com- mittee appointed to purchase the second addition to the cemetery. He was Captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company in 1715.
At the southwest angle of the enclosure is the Mariner's Tomb, which was bought, and the monument erected in 1841, by the Rev. Phineas Stowe, mainly by money contributed by sailors. The crew of the United States Sloop of War, Albany, contributed fifty-two dollars, and Martin Woodward, a sailor, collected some three hundred dollars from the merchants of Boston, for that purpose ; many a storm-tossed waif has found within its walls his last resting place.
In the centre of the ground stands a building now used as a tool- house, which was built some thirty-five or forty years ago, for a chapel and receiving tomb ; at the north-east corner of this building may be found the tombstone of a well-known silversmith, upon which are the following lines : -
"Death with his dart hath pierced my heart, While I was in my prime ; When this you see grieve not for me, 'Twas God's appointed time.
On Hull street side is the tomb of Colonel John Mountfort, who was breveted for gallantry at Plattsburgh, and was distinguished in the Florida wars. Next to the Hutchinson tomb is the tomb of Jonathan Mountford, (a brother of John,) who was a physician and apothecary. He resided at "Mountford's corner," and was one of the founders of the new brick church. The Mountford Coat of Arms, as represented on the family tomb, belonged to Hugo de Mountford, a Norman, who in 1066, commanded the cavalry of William the Conqueror, at the Battle of Hastings. Near this tomb is the tomb of Edward Carnes, who lived on Hull street, opposite the Small Ground ; Mr. John Weir presented to Mr. Carnes a Flag
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which he had worn on the occasion of Washington's visit to Boston, in 1789, thinking he was a suitable person to have the same ; Mr. Carnes wore it on the occasion of the great Jubilee, in 1851, in presence of President Fillmore. It is now in the possession of his son, Captain Edward Carnes of Charlestown.
Among the names that are apt to attract the attention of the close observer, are the following :
John Milk and Mary Farmer ; William Beer and John Water ; Samuel Mower and Theodocia Hay ; Elizabeth Tout and Thomas Scoot ; Marcy White and Mary Black ; Timothy Gay and Daniel Graves ;
Charity Brown and Elizabeth Scarlet ; Ann Ruby and Emily Stone.
On the tombstone of Eliza Swift are the following lines :
" A witt's a feather, and a chief's a rod ;] An honest man's the noblest work of God."
Near the Parker tomb is the slab of David Copp, who was a son of William Copp, and an Elder in Dr. Mather's Church. Near the Hull street gate, is the tombstone of Capt. Edward Rumney and wife. Captain Rumney served with distinction in the Revolutionary War. He was a member of St. Andrews Lodge, and charter mem- ber of St. Andrew's Royal Arch Chapter of Boston. His son Ed- ward, was Sailing Master in the U. S. Navy, and is honorably men- tioned in the official report of the capture of the English Sloop of War, Penguin, by the Hornet. Congress voted him a medal, March 23d, 1815.
It is estimated that over eight thousand persons have been buried in this ground. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Michael Dalton, who lives opposite the ground, for the great interest he has taken in the preservation of these Historical Grounds.
The writer takes this opportunity of thanking Messrs. John L. Stevenson, Roland Ellis, Albert Folsom, Benjamin Parks, and George Mountford, for the favors received.
The following are among the authorities consulted : Shaw's His- tory of Boston, Shurtleff's Topographical and Historical Description
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of Boston, Drake's Landmarks of Boston, Shaw's and Bowen's His- tory of Boston, and Dr. Eaton's Centennial Sermon.
Copp's Hill Book of Epitaphs, prepared by W. H. Whitmore, con- taining two thousand Epitaphs may be found at the store of A. Wil- liams & Co., booksellers, No. 283 Washington street.
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 9999 06665 028 2
JUL 31 1956
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